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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Jan 2007 : 23:47:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
One last question then and switching to dear Liriel. Why did you kill off her poor guardian? It left poor Dark Elf Princess all alone in the world!
She's strong, and she has female friends to help her.  |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 08:55:42
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Well Elaine, in our games, you'll be pleased to know that we actually retconned an entire campaign plot to honor your original intent. In a rather humiliating scene, Corellon appeared to the player characters to point out that the 'True Moonblades' (hereafter referred to as Kingblades) were what Arilyn wielded and that they had inspired Elven Smiths for generations with the idea of blades only fit for the hands of noblemen to be eventually monarchs of the Crown. There were hundreds of Blades that were made in imitation of them, all grand magical items and incapable of being wielded by the wicked....but not Moonblades.
Poor Akkanas our Half-Elf Ranger/Paladin (a combination you don't see very often) was despondent. The Lord of the Elves traded him his own sword (Corellon makes them constantly as a hobby) for Ak's 'moonblade' and went on his merry way. It seemed to mollify him ;-) Oddly, I'm debating having the legendary sword of Akkanas show up in Half-elf legends as a way of suggesting the Moonblades importance was never in their powers...
I just thought you'd like to know.
One final query (AGAIN with the final I know), whose the most fun to write? |
My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 14:21:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
One final query (AGAIN with the final I know), whose the most fun to write?
Hmmm. Hard to say. I had a lot of fun with "Raven," a short story about a former low-level mob soldier who's hiding out in small-town New England, only to find that he's haunted, quite literally, with his dark past. His neighbor is a middle-aged, Polish-American kitchen witch, the closest thing to an autobiographical character I've written. Frankie lives in my neighborhood, and she has my house, my gardens, my Siamese cats, and my sense of humor. And there's the age and ethnic thing, too. I had fun writing her, and I like the complexity and contradiction in in Bobby. In that regard, he's sort of like Elaith Craulnober, only with a Jersey accent; moreover, small-town New England is strange and exotic to him and his outsider perspective hold a bemused mirror up to the complacent face of suburbia. That, I have fun with.
Gwen Gellman is a hoot to write, in that a) she's a smartass, b) has a lot of odd relationships with quirky people, and c) is in the process of accepting and dealing with the revelation that she's not human.
In the Realms, I generally have a good time with Danilo, Elaith, Liriel, and Arilyn. Some of the secondary characters are fun--Jill, Tinkersdam (the "Q" character from Silver Shadows, a gondsman with a fondness for explosives), Morgalla. |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 20:19:21
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Thanks Elaine.
Wait a second though, did you really have to change your Moonblade story? I mean, it's not like they retroactively went back and removed all the parts of the novels where people died lifting the blades. Would there really have been a problem if you'd just written it the way you expected? It's not like there haven't been inconsistencies before.
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My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Delzounblood
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
578 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 20:51:34
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
In the Realms, I generally have a good time with Danilo, Elaith, Liriel, and Arilyn. Some of the secondary characters are fun--Jill, Tinkersdam (the "Q" character from Silver Shadows, a gondsman with a fondness for explosives), Morgalla.
Hmmmm.
I still think Jill is your best quirky character
Keep writing EC
Delz
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I'm Back! |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 21:29:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
Wait a second though, did you really have to change your Moonblade story? Would there really have been a problem if you'd just written it the way you expected? It's not like there haven't been inconsistencies before.
Yes, yes, and I'm not going to knowingly create inconsistencies.
Moving on, now.... |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 21:51:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Delzounblood
I still think Jill is your best quirky character.
You think? I wasn't sure about the whole "A Dwarf Named Sue" pastiche (think Johnny Cash, only shorter...) but I did like the idea of a randy dwarf with eclectic tastes in women. Granted, there are strong racial biases in the Realms, but it seemed to me there's got to be one or two dwarves who think along the lines of, "You know, I might not be Mexican, but right about now I could really go for a taco...." |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 22:14:12
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Okay dokey, forget I asked please. No more Moonblade questions.
Or Paladin questions.
Or questions about new books or where you're taking the characters.
(boy, we certainly dog you don't we?)
So here's an unrelated question to what fans (i.e. me) deluge you with. I really liked Councillors and Kings, are there any regions you'd like to write about elsewise?
And would you be interested in writing about any of the Realms other main personages? Perhaps Lady Allusair of Cormyr?
Finally, a City of Splendors question. What made you choose to go with such a group of 'average' joes by comparison? The Gemcloaks REALLY ARE what Danillo pretends to be in utterly worthless nobles and the young women of the novel are just fairly typical lasses of the middle class.
Was that different than writing a master spy like Danilo?
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My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - Charles Phipps on 09 Jan 2007 22:28:19 |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 22:31:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
Okay dokey, forget I asked please. No more Moonblade questions.
Or Paladin questions.
Or questions about new books or where you're taking the characters.
(boy, we certainly dog you don't we?)
It's a connundrum inherent to shared-world writing. People want to, you know, SHARE, but we've got these pesky NDA agreements that limit what we can say about upcoming stuff, and for reasons described about, I think it's a really bad idea to speculate about non-canon, unpublished lore.
This forum is starting to remind me of those "Secrets of the Realms" panels at GenCon, where for an hour or two people ask question of FR writers and designers, who, for the most part, reply, "We can't talk about that." Whoo-hoo! Fun for everyone. 
::sigh::
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 22:39:51
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To be fair Elaine, I think everyone accepts that. It's actually part of the fun of those panels. While everyone wants to know "what is the final fate of danillo thann" its actually better when we're teased because I don't think anyone would really be satisfied if you told us that he dumped Arilyn, married Lady Thione, and developed a Mead Gut. We should wait for the book or content ourselves with what's in our imagination.
It also is a good game for the mind. Asking the right questions. The Ed Greenwood threads are great fun because of this because you get a grab bag of answers. Sometimes, it's him talking about the ridges of Mulmaster Pottery and then I'm causally chatting and he then tells me about the entire political situation of Cormyr post the Death of the Dragon saga along with Allusair's bed habits.
We're all grateful you take your time and effort to answer our questions even if you can't answer some questions or only answee in part.
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My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 23:02:51
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
This forum is starting to remind me of those "Secrets of the Realms" panels at GenCon, where for an hour or two people ask question of FR writers and designers, who, for the most part, reply, "We can't talk about that." Whoo-hoo! Fun for everyone.
::sigh::
 Ahh man. I was looking forward to that seminar this upcoming GEN-CON. Maybe we have to get the authors/designers to think up some 'secrets' that aren't necessarily involved with upcoming products ...
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 23:14:23
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Yes, we don't want a repeat of what happened to Laurel K. Hamilton at the last con I attended with her. You wouldn't believe what questions she was asked....
Eeesh. Perhaps its better that the questions are just restricted to secrets of the setting. ;-)
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My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 23:25:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
I really liked Councillors and Kings, are there any regions you'd like to write about elsewise?
Silverymoon.
quote:
And would you be interested in writing about any of the Realms other main personages? Perhaps Lady Allusair of Cormyr?
Not really. I'd prefer to create my own characters. With the exceptionof Elaith, whom I borrowed so many years ago that he FEELS like my character.
quote:
Finally, a City of Splendors question. What made you choose to go with such a group of 'average' joes by comparison? The Gemcloaks REALLY ARE what Danillo pretends to be in utterly worthless nobles and the young women of the novel are just fairly typical lasses of the middle class.
The editor said, and I paraphrase, "I know you and Ed pitched a novel along the lines of Evermeet and Cormyr, a Rutherford-type 'historical' centered around a powerful focal character, but we'd rather you write a book set almost entirely in current time, with predominantly new, low-level characters. And we'd like Something Different--not the usual big threat besieging Waterdeep." So, we wrote Something Different set in current time, with new, low-level characters.
quote:
Was that different than writing a master spy like Danilo?
Sure. Danilo was more than he seemed when we first met him; these guys have yet to realize their potential. Fewer layers |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 00:05:54
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
This forum is starting to remind me of those "Secrets of the Realms" panels at GenCon, where for an hour or two people ask question of FR writers and designers, who, for the most part, reply, "We can't talk about that." Whoo-hoo! Fun for everyone.
::sigh::
Ahh man. I was looking forward to that seminar this upcoming GEN-CON. Maybe we have to get the authors/designers to think up some 'secrets' that aren't necessarily involved with upcoming products ...
Not to worry--I was engaging in hyperbole. There is some information passed along, and, as Charles noted, there's a lot of banter and word play, as well. |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 00:09:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
Yes, we don't want a repeat of what happened to Laurel K. Hamilton at the last con I attended with her. You wouldn't believe what questions she was asked....
I can well imagine. Some readers seem to assume that her Anita Blake and Merry Gentry books are autobiographical. |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 00:13:37
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Yes, lovely lady is Miss Hamilton.
Don't worry Elaine, none of us intend to do a Misery style kidnapping to force you to make all of our Spells and Swords book wishes come true.
We figured out you were a 18th level Bard (Ed is 29th) and thus too high level.
So another question about the future though. Will your next book cover Danillo's reaction to Blackstaff?
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My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - Charles Phipps on 10 Jan 2007 00:15:42 |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 00:23:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
So another question about the future though. Will your next book cover Danillo's reaction to Blackstaff?
No. The final S&S books takes place in DR 1369-70, several years before the events of Blackstaff. |
Edited by - ElaineCunningham on 10 Jan 2007 00:37:23 |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 00:28:59
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Noted.
In my games, Danillo thinks its his tower....and with good reason! :-)
Sadly, there's just too much out there for you to react your characters too. We never did get to find out Miss Moonblade's reactions to the Moonstars. |
My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Penknight
Senior Scribe
USA
538 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 03:32:05
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If I may borrow the microphone from Charles for a moment...?
Hello again. I'm not sure if you have been asked this before, but I was wondering if you played D&D yourself, and if you do what edition do you play? Thanks! |
Telethian Phoenix
Pathfinder Reference Document |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 13:11:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Penknight
I'm not sure if you have been asked this before, but I was wondering if you played D&D yourself, and if you do what edition do you play?
Yep, I'm asked this a lot. I have played RPGs, but at this time I do not.
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Penknight
Senior Scribe
USA
538 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 00:29:56
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham Yep, I'm asked this a lot. I have played RPGs, but at this time I do not.
Thank you. I have been curious about that since I first read Elfshadow back in 1999. Two final questions if I may, ma'am. Where did you learn your writing form and characterization? I mean, did you take writing classes in college, or is it just natural talent? And also a moonblade question... where did you come up with the idea for them at? I am guessing that the name itself comes from "only moon elves", but the idea... now that is something! |
Telethian Phoenix
Pathfinder Reference Document |
Edited by - Penknight on 11 Jan 2007 00:30:18 |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 01:25:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Penknight
[quote]I have been curious about that since I first read Elfshadow back in 1999. Two final questions if I may, ma'am. Where did you learn your writing form and characterization? I mean, did you take writing classes in college, or is it just natural talent? And also a moonblade question... where did you come up with the idea for them at? I am guessing that the name itself comes from "only moon elves", but the idea... now that is something!
I'm a self-taught writer. My college degree was in music education, with a minor in history. But I've always loved books and read voraciously from an early age. When you do that, you learn a lot "by ear," as it were. And when I started to write, I read a great many how-to books. The Writer's Digest books are, in general, very good. I also did detailed outlines of books I admired, paying attention to such matters as story structure and pacing. This is an old-fashioned, time-intensive approach, very similar at heart to the classes in theory and composition I took for my music degree. We had to study form and style and structure, then attempt to compose in various styles ranging from 16th century polyphony to four-part choral to various 20th century styles. But before we were assigned any sort of composition, it was understood that we would study and understand the conventions of that particular style, listen to a great deal of music, and analyse what others had done. I transferred a lot of these attitudes and habits to writing.
Moonblades are basically Arthurian in nature. No one who is not worthy can wield them, just as no one but the true king could pull the sword from the stone. Their collective purpose, like that of Excalibre, was to choose a monarch. Those moonblades wielded by other clans continued to serve the elven people in general, and the royal family in particular, as long as that particular line still continued.
"Moonblades" came from the fact that the royal family of Evermeet were of the moon elf race. I worked backward from there, and came up with the notion that moon elves were considered the most logical choice for royalty, as they, generally speaking, were more comfortable dealing with other races. When the moonblades were created, it was becoming apparent that the younger races were becoming increasingly powerful, numerous, and important, so it seemed important that the royal family be able to establish and maintain diplomatic ties with non-elves.
One of the frustrations I've had over the years with moonblades is that the Arthurian nature--the essence of the thing--has been diluted and distorted by overuse. Imagine how different the Matter of Britain would appear if you had a bunch of minor lords setting up stone sheaths for their own swords. (Hey, if Arthur can do it...) Or if Saxons, Irishmen, Breton princes, and Welsh scullery maids all contended that THEY had a right to wield Excalibre, because weren't they "worthy" in their own right and their own sphere? And hey, how come only a king of the Britons can pull the sword from the stone? Let's "rehabilitate" the Saxons by giving them Excalibre knockoffs. And how about we have various people fishing Excalibre out of the lake after Arthur's death to use it for executing criminals, slicing watermelons, and opening really big envelopes. Worthy tasks, all. The problem is, after a while the original purpose of the sword is lost in a wannabe, copycat, pc morass.
::shrugs:: One of the hazards of shared-world writing. |
Edited by - ElaineCunningham on 11 Jan 2007 02:15:47 |
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Penknight
Senior Scribe
USA
538 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 01:38:09
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Very interesting. I never expected to see information about music and how it applied to writing, especially with fantasy books. I also studied music in high school. Sounds kinda sad, doesn't it? My majors at first were Vocal Performance with a minor in U.S. History. By my senior year, I had a double major in Vocal Performance and U.S. History, backed by a minor in English. I learned rather late in my high school career that I was truly drawn (or rather, was being drawn) to writing, especially poetry and short stories.
I doubt that that is of any interest to you, though. I am truly thankful for your answering my questions, and I'll step back and let someone else talk now. |
Telethian Phoenix
Pathfinder Reference Document |
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Penknight
Senior Scribe
USA
538 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2007 : 03:01:23
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunninghamOne of the frustrations I've had over the years with moonblades is that the Arthurian nature--the essence of the thing--has been diluted and distorted by overuse. Imagine how different the Matter of Britain would appear if you had a bunch of minor lords setting up stone sheaths for their own swords. (Hey, if Arthur can do it...) Or if Saxons, Irishmen, Breton princes, and Welsh scullery maids all contended that THEY had a right to wield Excalibre, because weren't they "worthy" in their own right and their own sphere? And hey, how come only a king of the Britons can pull the sword from the stone? Let's "rehabilitate" the Saxons by giving them Excalibre knockoffs. And how about we have various people fishing Excalibre out of the lake after Arthur's death to use it for executing criminals, slicing watermelons, and opening really big envelopes. Worthy tasks, all. The problem is, after a while the original purpose of the sword is lost in a wannabe, copycat, pc morass.
::shrugs:: One of the hazards of shared-world writing.
Oh, I understand. I mentioned once, long ago, that I have a moon elf bladesinger that has a moonblade. The DM really thought that the idea was pretty nifty, and he began giving me back story on the sword, like where it was forged, who had wielded the blade, stuff like that. The story that he gave me was the sword was forged in Myth Drannor by Demron, the same guy that created the baneblades, like Foebane. After I listened and told him where the sword actually came from, I don't think that he was very pleased. I remember his exact words very well. "Yeah, but this sword was forged before the Fall by Demron and secretly commissioned, and wasn't to be given out to anyone until it was needed." I then told him, "Then dude, it isn't a moonblade and you have corrupted its history and the history of the actual swords. I think that I'm through here as a player, man."
*sigh*
I really miss the character, too. I still use him as an NPC, and the sword he has is his family's moonblade. I haven't used it in a stupid way, or made it something that it isn't. I once read that a guy had a moonblade katana. *shudders* They were forged as longswords! People, read your books! Anyway, the lore that you wrote really helped to make my character come to life, and after I took the cra... um, stuff my DM said and canonized it as much as possible, it served to make my favorite character that I have ever played in the Forgotten Realms. Here's to Damaston Moonstone, the 2nd Edition bladesinger. And Mrs. Cunningham, thank you for your books that helped to make him more than just a set of stats on a sheet of paper. I think that you would've liked the way he was played; and hopefully, the way I stuck to the books as much as possible. |
Telethian Phoenix
Pathfinder Reference Document |
Edited by - Penknight on 11 Jan 2007 03:11:04 |
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Ethriel
Learned Scribe
USA
272 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2007 : 03:51:16
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Out of curiosity, Lady Cunningham, in your future works, think we'll see wrap ups of your long unfinished plot lines? Such as Kymil and Laumaril, Bronwyn and her Cyricist brother, The Thiones and Hhune...a lot of good plotlines around that I'd love to see you tackle one day
It's a testament to your skill you've kept us interested so long. |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
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Penknight
Senior Scribe
USA
538 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2007 : 05:40:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
Well Penknight, I think it's a point that a blade doesn't have to be a Moonblade to be special.
I never stated that it did. I just prefer my game to be as "by the book" as possible. If I am playing Forgotten Realms, I want Forgotten Realms; not a homebrew concoction. It always just bothered me that he called it a moonblade when it wasn't even present at the claiming ceremony, that's all. I understand that special swords with special purposes are nice, but they aren't moonblades.
I really hope that made sense, man. |
Telethian Phoenix
Pathfinder Reference Document |
Edited by - Penknight on 13 Jan 2007 10:37:45 |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2007 : 05:44:13
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Yeah yeah, I know the feeling. I just also know the initial reaction of DMs is not to have all their hard work gone to waste.
Though I love Elaine's writing, I'm kinda glad that Arilyn's Moonblade wasn't revealed to be malfunctioning because I can't think of anyone better suited to rule the elves even if she is a half-blood.
One odd query and that is, do you think Arilyn still has some feelings towards Kymil? Killing her mother probably destroyed all of them but she very much is the product of his shaping her in my opinion (certainly I don't think her mother made her stoic, deadly assassin)
And I doubt she really cares about his murdering relatives who abandoned her?
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My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - Charles Phipps on 14 Jan 2007 00:13:03 |
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Ethriel
Learned Scribe
USA
272 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2007 : 01:37:36
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| When did Amnestria abandon her? |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
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Questions for Elaine Cunningham
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